economic/economical

Economic is all about how money works, but something economical is a good deal. You might take an economic studiesclass to understand the ebb and flow of cash in the world, but if you buy a used textbook for it, you're being economical.

Economic appeared in the late 1500s, referring to household management, but its sense of relating to a country's wealth first appeared in the 1800s. It's still related to economics (the study of the transfer of wealth) or economy (a country's wealth), but not thrifty (that's the other one). Here are some economic examples:

Someone who is economical avoids wasting things, like money or food. So if someone sees you wrapping up a bite of food that could be part of tomorrow's lunch, don't let him call you "cheap." Tell him you are economical. Continue reading...